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Anoka bringing back alcohol ‘social district’ in 2025

By FOX 9 Staff
Published  April 17, 2025 11:47am CDT
Anoka
FOX 9
Anoka social district ending its second season

Anoka social district ending its second season

The Anoka social district, which allows people to openly drink alcohol while walking around shopping and enjoying entertainment, will close this Sunday after a second successful season.

The Brief

    • The City of Anoka is bringing back its social district for a third season.
    • The social district will be open from May 1 through October 5.
    • Patrons 21 and older can buy alcohol from participating vendors and walk around in publicly designated areas.

ANOKA, Minn. (FOX 9) - The City of Anoka is bringing back its "social district" for a third season, allowing patrons to buy and drink alcohol in public – but only in designated areas.

Anoka social district

The backstory:

The city launched its social district pilot program in September 2023 for 30 days. The program was brought back for five months in 2024, and is returning once again starting in May.  

"The Anoka Social District has been a great success bringing in new faces to see our city and to experience all we have to offer. I couldn't be happier with how the City of Anoka and all of our downtown businesses have worked towards a common goal, and look forward to more creative partnerships to enhance the vibrancy and social interactions that make Anoka unique," said Anoka Mayor Erik Skogquist in a statement on Thursday.

How it works:

The social district encompasses parts of Anoka’s downtown, including designated sidewalks and parks where people aged 21 and older can drink alcohol purchased from participating vendors. 

Pictured is the Anoka social district boundary map for 2025. 

The businesses selling drinks as part of the social district will have a burgundy sign on the window that says "Sold Here." The green sign means you can walk into that business with your drinks, and if they have a red sign up, that means alcoholic drinks are not allowed inside. All beverages sold will be in special plastic recyclable cups. 

The program will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Thursday, May 1, to Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. There are also several events planned within the social district this year, such as a food festival, concert series and farmer’s market. A full list of events and businesses participating in the social district can be found here. 

The Source: This article uses information from the City of Anoka press release and previous FOX 9 reporting. 

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